Table Of Content
The shortcoupled nature of the CTSW causedpowered changes to affect both theyaw and pitch neutral feel to thepoint of requiring fairly frequentadjustment of the manual yaw andpitch trim. Tom needed to spend some timedetailing the operations of the DynonD100 electronic flight instrumentsystem (EFIS) as its operation anddisplays were not immediatelyintuitive to me. Airspeedand altitude information werepresented right along with the engineinformation and were bright and easyto read. Basic aircraft switchology(arrangement and ease of readingnomenclature) ranked about 8 on myscale of 1 to 10. The interface betweenthe Garmin GPS and the Garmin SL40comm radio was great.
CTLS Sport Edition design and features
We could pile my 6-foot,1-inch, 180-pound bulk in with TomJr.’s 6-foot, 4-inch 240-pound frameand still carry about 29 gallons ofauto fuel in the 34 gallon wingtanks. With the Rotax 912S as ourpowerplant, that would give us aconservative five hours of flyingtime. Not bad for a little airplane.By the way, we were not trying toimitate those little bitty smelly fishin a can. Our shoulders did not rub,and my seat was not in the full aftposition.
THE CTLS 2020 NEW FEATURES
The aircraft can be powered by two different model engines, including Rotax 912ULS with twin carburettors or Rotax 912iS with electric fuel injection. The maximum power output of each model is 100hp, while the time between overhauls (TBO) is 2,000 hours. I hadflown a CT2K several years ago andnoted that the CTSW had matured,with superior avionics and a moresophisticated interior. A look atthe weight and balance documentsfor this particularly well-equippedCTSW disclosed a useful load of 590pounds.
CTLS 2020 SE Rotax ™ 912
The aircraft has a length of 6.6m, a height of 2.34m and a wingspan of 8.59m. Its empty weight when equipped with a rescue system is 326kg. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is 600kg, while its fuel storage capacity is 130l. It’s nice to have a wish list, butdoes anyone ever listen? Fortunately,Flight Design GmbH listened to itscustomers and suggestions fromthe Flight Design USA distributionnetwork. Three weeks following theCTSW evaluation, I ventured outagain to visit the Toms at AirtimeAviation.
The Composite Technology Light Sport (CTLS) is a light sport aircraft designed and developed by Flight Design, a light aircraft manufacturer based in Germany. While most of my wish list wasdealt with decisively by Flight Design,it turns out that is only a smallsampling of many refinements. Fully equipped, the CTLS costsabout $6,000 more than a similarlyequipped CTSW. That adds up toabout $134,000 for the CTLS versusabout $128,000 for the CTSW.
According to the folks at FlightDesign GmbH and Flight DesignUSA, the unequivocal answer is yes.The CTLS is a true second-generationairplane that has been specificallyAmericanized. Looking rearward out of the newside windows, I could see the runwayprior to turning base leg. Thearea behind theseats that was aflat bulkhead isnow significantlyenlarged and incorporates a handyhat rack shelf. You can now see thehorizontal stabilizer through the newside windows. And, yep, new seatswith adjustable lumbar support arequite comfy. The Flight Design team feels the CTLS looks less egg-like than the CTSW.The addition of a window in the aft fuselage greatly increased visibility.
The CTLS light sport aircraft features advanced avionic suite, including Garmin G3X or Dynon SkyView HDX systems with bright high-definition touch screens and synthetic vision. The flight and engine instrumentdisplays are identical to those installedin the CTSW, as are the throttle andbrakes. The manual rudder trim hasbeen moved forward and is mucheasier to access. Switchology andavionics are identical to the CTSW,but the maximum flap travel hasbeen reduced from 40 degrees to 35degrees.
Aircraft Summary
Butremember, fully equipped includeselectronic flight and engine displays,a full GPS-based avionics deck, andan autopilot, plus other goodies. Soften up the landing gear just a bit, with less spring steel like recoil. It would be nice to be able to throw stuff over your shoulder.
Fuel-injected Flight Design: Flying the CTLSi - AOPA
Fuel-injected Flight Design: Flying the CTLSi.
Posted: Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:00:00 GMT [source]
PERFORMANCE AND SPECIFICATIONS
Tom Peghiny,president of Flight Design USA, is afamiliar name as an originator of theFlightstar line of ultralights. Tom wasthe original chairman of the ASTMAirplane Committee that developedthe ASTM Consensus Standards nowin use. He was certainly one of the“go to” guys as the SLSA movementkicked off. Flight Design worked with a German automotive design firm toenhance the interior of the aircraft, especially to improve the designof the seats.
The CTLS family of aircraft is available in different models, including CTLS light sport version, CTLS-Lite and CTLSi. Flight Design USA is excited to announce the CTLSi GT 2020 Edition. The 2020 is the newest version of the popular Flight Design CTLSi featuring the 912Si fuel injected Rotax engine. Along with being compliant with the FAA NextGen requirements, the 2020 Edition includes our most popular options and comes fully loaded with easy-to-use avionics and safety systems. The maiden flight of the original CT model was performed in March 1996, quantity production of the type commenced during the following year at Flight Design's facility in Ukraine.
The maximum horizontal speed of the aircraft is 240km/h, while the maximum airspeed is 300km/h. In June 2020, the first CTLS PtF (permit-to-fly) aeroplane was updated into an EASA Restricted Type Certificate aeroplane by the German aviation authority (LBA). The aircraft also received an updated certificate of airworthiness for the first CTLS PTF upgrade to R-TC in Spain from the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency in the same month of 2020.
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